Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-Seven: An Inescapable Past III (2/2)
“I’m not trash-talking medical treatment in China or anything; it’s just a statement of fact. They don’t tell patients realistic prognoses nor give up when they should. Instead, they just give people false hope… What good will further observation do? It’s completely unnecessary. Once I saw the medical report, I knew there was no saving me. After so many years at the research institute, I’m clearer than anyone else on how someone looks when they won’t survive.” Fang Wanqing’s words took on a mournful tone. “After finding out I was going to die, I actually felt relieved. After so many years, my retribution is finally coming. Finally! At long last, this sinner can go down to see Old Xiao again. After Old Xiao left, I wanted to accompany him so many times. But, I didn’t dare to die. The Heavens allowed me to live to atone for my sins. How could I dare to die…? Don’t you youngsters laugh at my superstitions. The Heavens are watching our every move. In the beginning, this illness didn’t have any symptoms. Only recently did a few symptoms begin to manifest. I had to laugh when I almost escaped cancer. It’s the Heavens pardoning me.”
“It’s not your fault.” Yan Jin could only repeat this over and over again. He didn’t have anything else to say.
The lady in front of him was older than him by twenty years. She didn’t have any less experience than him. Even now, she could face life and death so indifferently. Thus, he couldn’t provide her with any psychological help. Nor could he offer anything material.
Because she no longer needed anything.
“*Sigh*, I’ve become an old confused woman. I already said that I wouldn’t talk about these things in the past, but then I did that anyway.” Fang Wanqing drank some tea and laughed. “The past is in the past. The present is what’s important.”
Yan Jin didn’t comment.
Not all past events would fade away with time. Some would linger around like a needle in the heart and grow together with flesh. No matter how much time passed, whenever the topic came up again, all of the barriers would be broken to reveal the sharp tip again.
“I don’t have any objections to you two getting married. However, as you can see, I don’t have much time left. No more than half a year…” Fang Wanqing paused and then corrected herself. “Do it in the next three months. Since the marriage can’t be held in China, I won’t be able to handle long-distance travel soon with my old age. I don’t think you would want to see an old skeleton walking around with an IV bottle in the left hand and a terminal illness notice in the right.”
Yan Jin didn’t laugh at Fang Wanqing’s gallows humor. No one would be able to directly face such person on death’s door and still laugh.
“The ceremony will be held as soon as possible. We’ll come to pick you up ourselves.”
“It would be my honor.”
……
……
Before leaving, Fang Wanqing gave a card to Yan Jin.
“Right, this card contains the money from selling the house. I’ve owed money to that child for so long, so now I can finally clear all my debt. Originally, I only planned to give half of this, but seeing that he’s going to get married, you can consider the remaining half as dowry.”
“…Thanks.”
Fang Wanqing departed.
Yan Jin solemnly put the card safely away.
Even though he hadn’t obtained a more explicit promise from Fang Wanqing, Yan Jin was already completely satisfied.
Letting Fang Wanqing know how Xiao Yu felt about her was only an added benefit. Yan Jin’s main goal this time was to get her to recognize their marriage.
When Yan Jin’s investigations had revealed that Fang Wanqing was nearing the end of her life, he had immediately moved his meeting with her up in his calendar.
Xiao Yu still didn’t know about Fang Wanqing’s cancer. The potential effect of this was extremely large. Everyone in the Xiao Family was extremely superstitious. If Fang Wanqing was intensely opposed to Xiao Yu’s marriage with another man and then unexpectedly passed away despite hospital treatment, Xiao Yu would likely start jumping to conclusions. Thus, Yan Jin wanted to take control of this unknown variable as early as possible.
Everything had gone smoothly.
Yan Jin took a drink of his coffee. He put his cup down, emitting a clear sounding clink.
The youth sitting in front of him shivered.
“M-Mr. Yan.”
“You heard what happened earlier. Your mother has come down with an incurable illness. What do you think?”
Sitting in front of Yan Jin was Fang Wanqing’s own son, Xiao Zihao. After Yan Jin had sent Fang Wanqing off, he had returned to the hotel and sat down in the same seat as earlier.
Xiao Zihao had already been waiting in the seat his mother had just vacated.
“I, I…” Despite hearing about his mother’s terminal illness, Xiao Zihao cared more about how to placate the temperamental person in front of him.
His life was in this person’s hands!
Although his mother had contracted an incurable illness, if he said something wrong right now, he would immediately lose his life!